How do pilots "ditch in the ocean"??

[teddyFBI]

What is the rationale behind "ditching in the ocean". By my very limited understanding, ditching in the ocean refers to attempting to land a plane in the ocean, and is the preferred method of emergency landing in certain circumstances. A few things I don't understand:

1) What's the rationale?? Is it thought that more lives might be saved by crashing in water than by crashing on land? Is it to save lives of those on the ground?

2) Can a large airliner actually be landed safely on a body of water?? All of the safety manuals show pictures suggesting that an aircraft can actually be landed in one piece on water?? I've only actually seen footage of one attempted water landing...some of you may have seen it...it was taken with a video camera on a beach (i actually think terrorism had been involved somehow), the plane skipped on the water on its initial touch, but then quickly loses its equilibrium, one of the wing tips digs into the water and the entire thing then cartwheels...if I remember correctly, about half of the people on board died.

[BCPVP]

If you were jumping of a diving board, would you rather the pool be filled or empty?

[d10]

It is safer to ditch over water than over land.

Edit: This statement should be clarified, obviously a runway on land is the safest place, and even an open field would be better than over water, but it's harder than you might think to find a suitable landing area in an emergency. Ditching into a river is definitely safer than say trying to land on the side of a mountain or in the middle of a forest. You should attempt to land at the safest place you can reach.

Unfortunately, crashing an airplane into any surface is not the safest activity in the world, and sometimes things don't work out well. If the circumstances are bad enough, even the best efforts of the pilot will not save you. The best he can do is give you the best chance of survival in a crappy situation.

d10's info is good

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...ditching in the ocean refers to attempting to land a plane in the ocean...



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Actually it's not an attempt to land. It's more like trying to control a particular type of crash! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Ray Zee]

ditching in the water is only better if the water is shallow and you have bad terrain around you. otherwise you risk drowning more often than being hurt from impact.
they only go for the water when its the only thing below you or you havent any vision of whats below the overcast

[joshman1204]

I think military aircraft are always instructed to aim for water no matter what just to prevent harm to civilians.